Managing Safety

We aim to be a world leader in managing safety, health and environment
(SHE). The business sets high standards and strives to eliminate any foreseeable
hazards that may result in SHE loss, including property damage, environmental
exposure and personal injury or illness.

Our Policy

We are committed to excellence in SHE and believe it is of equal importance
to production and quality and that effective management of health & safety
is achieved through co-operation and effort at all levels in the organisation.
Our guiding principles are contained in the policy statement which has the full
commitment of the Board and the Executive Management Team. The general policy
statement is also incorporated in our Code of Conduct.

To ensure that all employees are aware of SHE policy and its requirements,
safety forms an integral part of the induction process for all new employees and
not just those working at Edwards' facilities. The policy is also posted
throughout all Edwards facilities in prominent locations.

Edwards’ safety management is enabled through a well developed global
intranet-based SHE Management System, which meets the requirements and
expectations of its stakeholders. The Management System is certified as
complying with the international standard for Occupational Health and Safety
Management Systems, OHSAS 18001.It also takes into account the
international nature of the business, our customer facing and product focused
activities, and our range of sites and service activities. The controls embedded
in the policies and procedures are based on both general and specific risks to
employees and third parties who could be affected by Edwards’ activities.

The management system is based on the concept of continuous improvement and
includes policy, planning, implementation/operation, measurement and management
review. The mandatory standards and procedures which support the general policy
are called “Risk Control Elements” (RCE’s).

The first of these RCEs – Strategy and Overview - defines the key
elements of the EHS Management System along with the organisation,
responsibilities and arrangements which make the general policy effective. There
are currently 28 RCE's which cover all the key aspects of
EHS.

Planning

EHS performance is an important part of managers’ performance appraisals.
Through the regional head of safety, each region is required to establish
improvement targets based on both lagging and leading indicators. Performance
against these targets is reviewed on a regular basis at local, regional and
corporate level.

Several key safety measures apply throughout the
entire organisation and are reviewed and have been agreed by the EMT.
These apply throughout the entire organisation and re reviewed by the Board on a
quarterly basis:

Training - 95% completion of all safety training elements

Behavioural observation training- 100% completion for all key
staff

Hazard awareness training - 100% completion for all front line
staff

Behavioural observations - minimum of two per month by trained
staff

Safety observation tour - monthly by members of the EMT

Reduction of Lost Work Accident Case Rate (Rate per 200,000 hours) to less
than 0.25

As part of the annual planning process, regions or sites measure their
progress towards a world class safety operation by means of a comprehensive set
of audit questions on a wide range of safety related elements. The completion
of this audit results in a number of improvements for the coming year.

Implementation

A comprehensive behavioural safety program is an important part of the management system and recognises that there is a behavioural element to most accidents. The safety culture of our organisation is constantly being improved by daily discussions between supervisors, employees and peers. Staff are trained to recognise and correct unsafe behaviours and to reinforce safe behaviours through the “Leadsafe” and “Actsafe” programs.

We use a wide range of communication methods to help understanding:

Safety committees

Safety campaigns

Cascade presentations

In Touch magazine

‘Lessons from Losses’

Intranet site

Internet site

Notice boards

Posters

Monitoring

A reduction in accidents and ill health leads to significant benefits for
everyone such as reduced absenteeism, improved job satisfaction, increased
commitment and co-operation and all round job competence. We also recognise
that accidents usually have multiple causes, and although the immediate cause
may be a human or technical failure, such events can arise from organisational
failings which are management’s responsibility.

To help promote the prevention of accidents/incidents, an electronic
reporting system exists to enable employees to report accidents, incidents
direct to the Corporate Safety department. The difference between a near miss
and an injury,accident is often very small, so all accidents, incidents and near
misses are investigated with the data used to establish trends. Any major
incidents automatically receive the attention of the Board which monitors
actions through to the close. A summary of what happened and what we learned
from the incident/accident (“Lessons from Losses”) is circulated
widely.

We also document all the information as part of the EHS
management system, including the results of investigations, performance
evaluations and audits in relation to changes in the regulatory and legislative
environment and to complaints, comments and recommendations received from all
interested parties.

Auditing

A full annual audit of each of the Risk Control Elements is carried out by each region. In addition to ensuring we comply with all applicable national regulations, codes of practice etc, regular reviews take place under the direction of the regional safety managers.

Management Review

A management review is more strategic in its focus than an audit and is
carried out biannually by the Edwards board. Whilst an audit may have concluded
that everything is in place to meet the safety policy and objectives, the
management review may show that other considerations - internal or external-
justify change.

Our Performance

The Board has decided to renew focus on a reduction in lost work accidents,
so plans are in place for the following

Greater focus on the behavioural safety program with more training and a
required minimum of two engagements per month

Increased awareness through global safety campaigns

Revision and simplification of our Management system

Increased transparency in the global reporting of key leading
indicators

Increased compliance bought about by more structured approach to
auditing